Youth Olympics: Youngsters double gold

SYDNEY - New Zealand athletes at the Sydney Youth Olympic Festival won another five golds on the second day of competition yesterday, bringing their tally for the meeting to 10.

Sprinter April Brough took two more golds to help New Zealand to third in the team competition for 15 to 19-year-olds against Australian state sides.

But the most spectacular win came in the men's 3000m steeplechase, where Stephen Lett stormed home to beat Australian Collis Birmingham over the final 25m.

Birmingham seemed to have the race to himself with 100m remaining, but didn't count on the speed of the New Zealander, who clocked 8m 55.31s.

Brough, who won the women's 100m and 4x100m on Saturday, doubled her tally in the 200m and 4x400m.

She managed 24.68s into a headwind in the first race and later anchored the relay team after Anna Spriggens, Monique Williams and Louise Jones.

Thrower Valerie Adams added the discus title to the shotput she won on Saturday, while Rebecca McEnaney was too strong in the home straight to win the women's 800m.

Sarah Cowley came second in the high jump and Michael Stringer second in the men's 800m.

- NZPA